


Superhuman | NCT 127

by evilseok



Category: NCT (Band), 방탄소년단 | Bangtan Boys | BTS, 소녀시대 | Girls' Generation | SNSD
Genre: Alternate Universe - Superheroes/Superpowers, Mutants, NCT 2019, Other, kpop, markhyuck
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-29
Updated: 2019-05-29
Packaged: 2020-03-17 17:51:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 12,763
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18970081
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/evilseok/pseuds/evilseok
Summary: The Government have taken new actions to ensure the safety of society as well as to eliminate any possible threats against their power, luckily for them, this just so happens to be Dr. Kim Seokjin's area of expertise. With the launch of Project NCT, ten individuals under the label of 'Superhumans', are handpicked and trained to carry out the missions assigned to them. From the very beginning the boys were taught not to question orders (for some longer than others) no matter what the circumstance, so when the slightest bit of skepticism and curiosity start to mix together in the group, they unknowing have the same question in mind: "What is our purpose?"-An awkward android-A hot headed pyromaniac-A shy shifter-A sleep deprived telekinetic-A bratty mind controller-A flirtatious illusionist-A moody Doppelgänger-An overly enthusiastic prophet-A chic Electrokinetic-And a soundbender who rocks a fanny pack way too well.why don't we see how this goes?





	1. His Eyes

Donghyuck liked to run. He liked the fresh air clawing at his face as his heart pounded through his chest like it was a bomb ticking during its last seconds. The burning in his lungs became an addiction that urged him to be faster, not allowing a single inch of exhaustion to enter his system.

It was an experience he wasn't sure how to describe, for more than anything it was the pain that excited him, so when there was instance, such as now, where he's being chased by three enraged individuals who were clearly out for blood, Donghyuck's thrill only increased tenfold.

Maneuvering through the crowds of people that flooded the tram station proved to have been more of a challenge than what the boy had originally expected. Unlike at the academy he attended which was spacious and the students knew better than to get in his way at times like this, here everyone was clumped together like glue while pushing and shoving, the numbers increasing whenever the doors slid open for passengers to get off and others on.

Without much thought Donghyuck tossed his legs over the turnstile while the boys chasing him followed suit, though unable to do so as easily as he had. To say it was Donghyuck's fault to be in this predicament would be only slightly true, though the 18 year-old knew he was far from faultless either.

He couldn't remember how the whole issue unfolded or how long it had been since he had pissed off Lee Jihoon to the point where his friends came after him at every turn he made, but it didn't seem to matter much to Donghyuck. He was just having fun. 

Up ahead he heard the slow screech of an upcoming tram reaching a halt and picked up his pace, only to feel a hand reach out and grab the back of the collar of his shirt, forcing him to spin around on the back of his heels. Donghyuck wasted no time dodging the first punch, sidestepping the next when Jihoon’s friend fumbled slightly, catching his balance while Donghyuck only laughed. The other boy wasn’t as thrilled however, his nostrils were slightly flared and his eyes were burning with the amount of annoyance one could easily have for him in any other situation. While he waited for the guy to go for his next move, he couldn’t help but notice his heavy breathing and the slow coloration of red spreading across his face.

“You look tired.” Donghyuck’s voice was light, but his words carried a stinging vibration that stung into the consciousness of that boy, leading him to stare directly into his now burgundy colored eyes. “Maybe you should go ahead and rest.” What sounded like a careful suggestion became registered as a command in the young thug’s mind, his eyelids drooping awkwardly as his jaw began to slack. “Maybe…I should…rest…”

Frightened gasps echoed around them when the boy suddenly fell to his knees before his face collided with the concrete floor. Seeing that a small crowd had started to form as civilians either stood and stared while others pulled out their phones to call the police, Donghyuck saw that it was just about his time to leave. By the time the two other thugs had finally found their friend passed out on the station floor, he had managed to push himself into the final inch of space left in the nearly closing tram.

Just as the train began to set off from the station and it was clear to see that neither one of them had followed him, a smug grin couldn’t help but crawl onto his place as he looked back out the window.

 These moments of stupid chaos were nothing but a game to Donghyuck, a game in which he didn’t mind playing the weaker role to feed the egos of his opponents. He would’ve cared less on what most of them thought of him, it didn’t bother him at all, not really, so no matter the day, whenever Jihoon and his friends felt the need to try and let their off steam on him, he’d be waiting, and the cycle would continue.

The sound of an electronic voice over the monitor is what pulled the boy back into reality as he shook his head, releasing himself from his previous thoughts. They suspected their may be a fifteen minute delay to the first stop due to an accident at the station where a student had passed out all of a sudden.

Donghyuck resisted the urge to groan out loud at the news, biting his lip before setting himself down onto one of the empty seats. It was to be expected of course, it had been the first time he had used his abilities with so many bystanders in the area, but he wasn’t worried. Donghyuck had gone through most of his life without being suspected of being different from anyone else, and he wasn’t going to ruin it now of all times. The boy took it upon himself to blend in as much as possible, and usually he thought he did it fairly well, but there were moments, such as now, where he would take a risk that would be considered too close of a call.

Speaking of sticking out, among the dully colored outfits and worn out expressions on the train, two guys who were not much older than Donghyuck, wore black jackets and bottoms with a bright green ‘X’ logo patched onto the shoulder area. The rest of their outfit contained small patches of the same bright green, so it was safe to say their fashion sense alone made them the most noticeable people on board, however, clothes aside, what caught Donghyuck’s attention was how they stood. You could tell a lot about a person based on their posture, and from the boy was getting from them, they emitted a form of silent confidence he’d never seen before.

Even when it seemed they were concentrating on nothing in particular, their eyes were sharp and alert in a subtle way, in a way you wouldn’t notice unless you’d been paying careful attention. For some reason, this unsettled Donghyuck. And he couldn’t figure out why.

He couldn’t waste anymore time pondering on it when the train suddenly came to an abrupt stop, momentarily taking everyone off guard with a mumbled chorus of gasps, even the two sharp figures seemed surprised, though not by much. Just as the passengers began to issue out their complaints, the doors slid open to reveal three cops entering the coach, at that moment Donghyuck felt his heart sink.

One of the attendants followed in, a young woman, possibly in her thirties, before revealing the news. “We regret to inform you that due to the incident at the station, we are currently requesting to check all passenger tickets at this time.” Hearing this, Donghyuck couldn’t help but scoff.

 _Of course._ He thought. _Give me a break._

Th boy eyed the open doors from behind them. He could probably leave without anyone noticing and avoid the hassle, but then again, what were the chances that he’d be able to do so without getting at least one person’s attention? The plan seemed to have been the more unlikely of solutions.

“Excuse me,” Donghyuck looked up to see that the attendant had made her way over to him, holding her hand out expectantly with a slight tinge of annoyance in her eyes. It was clear she didn’t want to be doing this either.

“Ticket please.” Donghyuck nodded, pretending to pat down his pockets in search for his own before painting on an expression of shock.

“Oh, I think I might have lost mine back at the station. I’m sorry.” The lady’s jaw clenched slightly at his words, her gaze growing a little sterner.

“You can’t board without a ticket, sir.” She made a quick glance at his school uniform, most likely trying to connect Donghyuck with the boy from back at the station _._

 _There were a lot of people there._ He thought. _If she takes me back to the station they wouldn’t have an issue identifying me, especially if it’s the rest of Jihoon’s pals._

“You’ll have to accompany me back along with these officers here.” She said plainly. “Call your parents to let them know to meet us there.”

Donghyuck sighed, running a hand through his hair. “I don’t think I can do that, Miss.”

The attendant frowned, clearly trying to keep herself from rolling her eyes. “Why is that?”

He leaned in a little closer her, enough for them to have clear eye contact with each other before a small vibration began to hum from the pit of his stomach that stretched all through his body. It felt as if a magnetic pull had wrapped around them and pulled each other into the same conscious.

“You’ll let me go this time, right?” Donghyuck said. “When you get back to the station you’ll just tell everyone that you couldn’t find anything suspicious, so you should just forget this all happened.”

She paused, processing his words for a few seconds before a bright smile lit up her face, the only smile Donghyuck expected she had on that whole day. “Of course. I’ll let it go this time. There’s no issue here. Have a nice rest of your day.”

And with that, she walked away from the boy and towards the police. A few minutes later they apologize for the inconvenience, and without wasting anymore time, they exit the coach and the tram is back on route. A sense of relief and pride washed over him, and for a few seconds nothing bothered him. With his school year ending soon, he wouldn’t have to hide or rely on his abilities as much as he did currently. The thought of this released some of the weight on his shoulders, he wouldn’t be worried about being caught all the time once he graduates, he’ll be able to live better and, best of all, do whatever he wanted.

Yet in that instance, something did not sit right with Donghyuck. A sense of uneasiness tingled at the back of his neck, and when he looked to see what it was, his eyes happened to have met one of the prominent looking guys he had been examining before.

His hair was a light peach color and was styled in a way where it covered half of his forehead, and at that moment, that man was staring at him. Although faint, there was an amount of shock Donghyuck was able to distinguish in his expression. His lips were slightly parted but he didn’t utter a word, and his eyes unwaveringly stared back into Donghyuck’s. For once, the boy didn’t know what to say _._

 _He couldn’t have seen me._ He thought.  _He couldn’t have. I made sure that no one was watching._

But it was clear that this man had been, it was so clear that in fact, when Donghyuck's very own expression started to twist in confusion, the corner of the man’s lip curved slightly, a subtle smirk.

The way he stared into his eyes relayed a kind of heaviness that Donghyuck couldn't describe. It was as if he were trying to send signals into Donghyuck's mind to form a message only he'd understand, a knowingness that was mutually understood.

Donghyuck could only feel fear, fear and shame that this person seemed to have seen right through him in what felt like mere seconds. This mixture of fear and shame only concocted hard boiled anxiety in his stomach as he clenched his fists in the pockets of his school uniform.

 

 _Why did it have to be me?_ He thought. Why had he been the one to be caught in his true nature? 

A freak. An oddity. A mutant. He hated that. He hated he had been seen. 

The man's friend didn't seem to have noticed him, but once the peach haired man muttered something in a hushed voice to him, the other’s cold eyes landed on Donghyuck almost immediately.

Thankfully right then the doors slid open again, only this time at Donghyuck's stop. Without staring for a minute longer, he dropped his head and bolted out of the tram, his face burning and his chest hammering. 

 

* * *

 

Even though it had been exactly six days since that incident, the occasion was still burned into Donghyuck’s memory. He wanted to stop thinking about it and move on, but since that day, the fear that someone had caught him still kept him awake at night.

He wasn't sure when or if sometime soon someone would knock on his door and take him away, the worst part is that he wouldn't know where. It was known that mutants such as him roamed society, unseen most of the time and rarely heard of, and that was what irked the general people. You never knew who to suspect. This never bothered Donghyuck as of more recently, because before, he was confident in hiding his abilities, not gaining a single bit of suspicion towards him in that regard.

He hadn't gone to school since then either, something told him it would be better to stay out of sight for a while just in case a situation were to arise. It was unknown what exactly happened mutants that were found, but Donghyuck always assumed they were either detained or killed, which didn't serve to help calm the boy. But the more he thought about it, the more he felt that maybe it meant nothing. That perhaps that face he saw on the train meant nothing. After all, he didn’t know who Donghyuck was, where he lived or anything else aside from that. He was just a stranger who saw a little too much.

Yes, maybe it wasn’t anything. Perhaps the boy’s imagination was just going overboard. Perhaps.

He laid in bed that night not thinking about much else. Donghyuck was beginning to get a headache from all the conclusions he had been jumping to since that day, and even more so he was angry at himself for letting such a matter get out of hand.

 _Just focus on graduating._ He told himself. _That should be the only thing that matters to me right now._

 After all, he made a promise to his sister before she left that he would. "No matter how much you don't find yourself caring about the future today," She had said. "It's important to finish what you started and get your foot out the door, because once there, the start of our adulthood won't be so difficult, and by then we’d finally be out of the system."

He remembered her warm smile, her _knowing_ smile, the one where it seemed as if she understood all the things he wanted to say even when he didn't utter a word. "Do it for yourself. Be someone you're proud to be."

That was something that had been proven to be more difficult to accomplish once she had left.

‘ _Someone you're proud to be’_ was what she had said, but what was that? What exactly did it mean to proud of yourself? For what?

As he let his body sink further down onto his mattress, almost feeling as if he'd be swallowed right up any minute, he let her words replay in his mind. The least he could do was finish High School. He owed her that much.

In the corner of his room he could hear the small squeaks of his broken window as the harsh wind that night rocked its hinges back and forth. Donghyuck made a mental note to get that fixed sometime, maybe with enough _convincing_ he can get the repairman to do it for no charge. He guessed that was one of the upsides of being a mutant. Other than being a menace to society, it did give him the ability to get away with things the average person wouldn't be able to do.

In a way it made life at least a little simpler for him, if simple in his case was even possible. He figured he could probably live life well with his abilities if he stayed smart about it, not being too careless nor being caught, but due to recent events, the boy was beginning to get second thoughts. _I still find it hard to believe that he saw me._  He thought. _Have I really become that sloppy?_

The screeching of the window grew louder as the wind picked up, the tree that hung over the house dragging its branches over the roof like a giant claw. At this rate, Donghyuck knew he wasn't going to be falling asleep anytime soon. With a heavy sigh the boy closed his eyes, blocking out the sounds as much as he could. Truthfully, he didn't know what to do. His path in life seemed hazy and ambiguous, unable to distinguish the right choice that will give him the life he wanted, versus the life he wished to avoid.

He didn’t know what kind of life he wanted. Obviously his sister had an idea on what she thought was best for him at the time, but now, thinking for just himself, he really had no clue. Donghyuck's uncertainty riled him, sometimes to the point where he wished someone could just decide for him, and even though that was against everything his sister had envisioned freedom for him, it seemed pointless to imagine otherwise. Perhaps he was overthinking it, he still had time of course, but the more he thought about the time he had left to make his decisions, the more he realized that they were fluttering away faster than the blink of an eye. It was clear that even time itself was not on his side.

Completely out of energy to think or argue with himself any longer, his mind spiraled downward into the warmest part of his mind, letting himself sink into slumber to the sound of nothing but the crooked tree raking over the roof.

Then, it occurred to him. Something felt off, as if the temperature in the room had increased twenty degrees in a mere few seconds. It took only a few more seconds for the boy to realize that the window had stopped creaking. 

Just as he bolted up from bed a hand wrapped  around his mouth. A bolt of adrenaline from the sudden attack was enough to fuse enough energy him to push his attacker away, only to be grabbed by another set of hands that pinned his arms behind Donghyuck's back, his face colliding with the wood floor.

His heartbeat rose to his earbrums as he thrashed about, using his free legs to kick his opponents and hopefully give him enough leverage to find a way out of his position. With enough force he slammed his head back into the attacker's, leading to the man groaning in pain, but his hold on Donghyuck only tightened.

"He's stronger than he looks." He said to the four other dark figures hidden in the shadows. "Jaehyun, you were the one who saw him in action. Got any ideas on how to handle him?"

The boy felt his blood run cold. _It was **him**! The man from the tram!_

"Whatever you do, don't look into his eyes." The voice named Jaehyun said. "It's the only way he can use his ability. Taeyong, get the blindfold on him. Mark, you hold him down."

Before he could register any other action, the person behind him managed to snake over a piece of cloth over his eyes, making him completely vulnerable as another person, much stronger than the previous two, wrapped their arms around his shoulders and held him up.

Donghyuck was going to die, he could feel it. He had truly made a grave mistaken and here he was paying the price. Fear threatened to swallow him whole, to have him wanting to quiver and beg for his life, but the more he thought of himself in that state, the more it disgusted him.

"If you're going to kill me," he seethed between grit teeth, "Just get it over with already."

To his surprise, his words seemed to have ignited a small amount of chuckles in the room, and although they were faint, the atmosphere of the situation shifted ever so slightly.

"Just relax kid." The voice Donghyuck now associated as Jaehyun assured him. "We're just here to get you out of this shithole." 

From fear to anger now led to blatant confusion. Get him out? What the hell were they talking about?

Donghyuck wanted to ask these questions himself, but when he the felt the small prick on the back of his neck and the sudden drowsiness come over him, all he could was what he had done before, sink down into his mind before falling into a deep, deep sleep.

 

 


	2. Unexpected Offering

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to N.E.O

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter may be a bit boring...

Donghyuck did not expect to wake up to the sharp stiffness of his body against cold metal, his muscles and limbs unable to fidget. He felt no restraints around his wrists or legs, but something was weighing him down. It was as if an invisible force was pushing against his chest, forbidding him from moving even an inch. Around him, near him, he heard murmurs of multiple voices that spoke solemnly, so much so that to the boy it sounded like mere gibberish. As his body was facing the ceiling he could not see who or how many people there were, and with his body still sluggish and dreary he did not have the strength to yell or scream.  He was, in his own words, completely and utterly screwed.

"His levels are above the other trainees." He heard a male voice say. "He clearly has a good understanding of his abilities and how to use them to his advantage. Both Taeyong and Jaehyun have confirmed this."

"I understand that, sir." A female voice this time spoke up, her voice light yet firm. "But don't you think it's a risk to immediately assign him to a team so early, especially when he has no combat experience?" They had might as well been speaking a different language, because everything they were saying sounded absolutely foreign to Donghyuck. But one thing was for certain, it didn't seem like they were going to kill him. If they were they would've done it by now, so it was clear they wanted something from him. "Relax Ms. Kim," the man assured. "He will be joining the team in their regular exercises and simulations just like everyone else, he'll just be skipping the basics."

"I just fear that you're rushing into things."

"Not to worry. He'll adapt  _very_ quickly. That's just his nature."

Were they talking about him? Even though he couldn't confirm it, the way he heard the man speak made it seem to Donghyuck that he was in fact referring to the boy, but he couldn't understand how. Who were these people? Why did they know so much about him?

"Jungwoo," The man called. "wake him up."

"Yes, Dr. Kim." A cold hand was placed upon Donghyuck's forehead, and with a sudden rush that felt like a jolt of electricity coursing through his veins, the weight on his chest disappeared and his eyes shot open. Pushing himself up on the metal table he had laying on, his eyes burned from the brightness inside the white room as he groaned, covering them. His once numb body was now shuddering and shivering as if he had been pushed into a pool of ice water, and the person in front of him seemed to have been the one responsible. He had blonde hair that was oddly puffy, as if he had just crawled out of bed, with faint dark circles underneath his eyelids. To put it plainly he looked exhausted, like he hadn't slept for days. Despite this however, he smiled warmly at Donghyuck, which caught the boy off guard.

"Sorry about that." Jungwoo said with a gentle voice. "You'll get used to it after a while."

Donghyuck wasn't sure if he  _wanted_ to get used to that if it meant having to go through with it again in the future, but instead he just nodded absently. As his eyes adjusted and began to wander around the room, they land on a tall man in a white coat walking toward him with a tablet in hand. To his surprise the man seemed quite young, younger than what Donghyuck had expected a mad scientist would look like, if the boy could even call him that. "Good to see you awake." The man said as he stood in front of the boy. His dark hair was brushed back messily, almost as if he were in a rush to comb it before coming in. His glasses hung near the very end of his nose before he pushed it back, leaning to get a closer look at Donghyuck, to which the younger instinctively leaned back.

Donghyuck wasn't sure what the man was looking for nor what his purpose was when he inspected every inch of the boy's face, examining and seemingly analyzing something Donghyuck simply had no comprehension of. Two beats passed before the man became seemingly satisfied before standing upright as he did. "Good. His vitals are high and in good health, though slightly malnourished. Provide a meal plan for the next few weeks so that he can be up to par with the others." In the corner of his eye Donghyuck sees Ms. Kim type something on her tablet, nodding to the doctor's words. "After he's adjusted we can begin his compatibility tests and simulations as soon as possible. This shouldn't be an issue since-"

The words falling from the doctor's lips became white noise as Donghyuck's began to spin. He couldn't process what was happening around him, even the language that was so familiar to him felt foreign in that moment. He couldn't understand how he had gotten into this situation or what would happen next, and the unknown bothered him. Even if they weren't exactly giving off red flags, the predicament was almost too much to handle in a span of what only felt like seconds.

Perhaps he could escape? Using his powers now could end up being a big risk however, especially since these people were aware of who he was, of  _what_ he was. The fact that they were comfortable enough to not have his eyes blindfolded, as the people who had kidnapped him had, only made the situation more tense to Donghyuck. But perhaps he could do it. Maybe there was a possibility, even if it were a small one, that he could escape. He had truthfully never controlled more than one person at a time and was doubtful that he could pull it off, so the more he thought about escape, the more he began to realize it's unlikeliness.

_'Don't do it.'_

Donghyuck felt his heart leap when a voice other than his own sounded in his head. For a moment he feared that his timid expression gave away his motives, but when he looked up to see that the doctor and Ms. Kim has turned away from the boy and were immersed in their own conversation no doubt about him, only one person was directly looking at Donghyuck: Jungwoo.

 _'Seokjin seems calm because he knows you won't escape. There's guards outside that have been ordered to restrain you in case you manage to ensnare anyone here.'_ He said.

The boy blinked. _'Are you...in my head right now?'_ Donghyuck said, or rather, he thought.

Jungwoo smiled softly and nodded. ' _Don't worry and just stay calm. We're not here to hurt you.'_

Donghyuck felt like he would've known better than to trust a stranger after being kidnapped, he was far from naive, but at the same time there was something about Jungwoo that made the boy feel calm, he felt genuine. He couldn't tell if it was the result of Jungwoo's abilities that made him this way or if it was his very own gut telling him to give in, but nonetheless he listened to the latter. Still, he felt tempted to continue talking Soon after Donghyuck and Jungwoo's conversation, Dr. Kim focused his attention back on the boy. "Ms. Kim, could you and Jungwoo escort yourselves out while I speak privately to our new subject?"

Donghyuck really didn't like how he referred to him as a subject, in fact it felt slightly unsettling, so it didn't help when Jungwoo nodded his head at the man's orders. "Yes sir."

 _'You're not actually gonna leave me in here with him, right?'_ Donghyuck thought. The blonde however, only gave his signature smile to the boy. "I'll see you later, then." A panel in the wall opened, and without taking another look back, Jungwoo stepped out with Dr. Kim's assistant following right behind. Before he could blink thee door shut abruptly, leaving the younger alone with the most ominous stranger of all. 

The doctor had his back to him by this point, and despite Jungwoo's warnings there was still a slight buzz that tried persuading him into going along with his instincts; to run out of the damn place as fast as possible. Donghyuck wondered if the Dr. Kim himself had any special abilities as well, because just as the thought ran across his mind once more-

 

"I assume Jungwoo already told you escape is inevitable, right?" his voice rung in Donghyuck's head in a way that shocked the boy, erasing the original soft tone the man had previously had when speaking with his assistant. Donghyuck didn't know how to respond to such a question that he remained silent, seeing that the man Jungwoo referred to as Seokjin did not actually seem interested in hearing a response.

He simply watched as the Doctor's eyes scanned the documents he had presented in front of him, creating an uncomfortable silence. The tension made Donghyuck grind his teeth, a nervous habit he had ever since he was a child. It made him feel meek and powerless, it took only a moment for him to realize the irony in his thoughts. He was Lee Donghyuck, he could face anything that was in front of him, nobody and no consequence had the capability to scare him. This situation wouldn't be any different, he wouldn't let it be. His momentary stage of shock ended here, whoever Kim Seokjin or anybody else in this forsaken building was, it didn't matter. In the end, they'd be following _his_  orders.

Almost instantly his adrenaline began to boil and burn in his veins, a feeling he was all too familiar with. His body began to relax, loosening his shoulders with a glare settling on his face. Looking up from his clipboard the doctor takes notice of the boy's attitude, cocking his eyebrow soon after. "I believe you have something to say?"

"It was a mistake bringing me here." Donghyuck let the words slip from his mouth with ease. "Let me save you the time to realize that whatever little mouse trap you think you have me in, isn't going to change a thing."

By now he had Seokjin's complete and undivided attention, and with this he grew back his confidence bit by bit. "You can try to kill me, but just know it won't be just any easy feat. Those guards outside?" He scoffed. "They'll fall face first before they even know what hits them. You wanna test that theory?"

The doctor's eyes bore into his own, but Donghyuck still wasn't quite finished yet. "In reality nothing is actually stopping me from using you to my advantage," He stated simply. "But I’m feeling nice since you all don't seem to know better, so if I were you I'd probably take my advice." 

The silence in the room became almost uncanny after that, but by now Donghyuck was too stubborn to feel scared or intimidated, especially since he had done so much to get his point across. If they've kept him alive so far it only meant that they wanted something from him, and although threatening them seemed to have been the last option to take aside from begging or complying with their wishes, it was the only route he could see himself taking. He wasn't interested in anything that wasn't his very own will. 

It came as a sudden slap to the face when almost abruptly a fit of laughter escaped Seokjin's mouth, the man hunching over in the process. The boy almost fell back in shock hearing the man's goofy laugh, all previous intimidating features flickered away in an instant. Donghyuck felt his face flush from both embarrassment and anger, feeling as though he had not been taken as seriously as  he had wanted to be. He suddenly thought that perhaps dying wasn't as far-fetched of an option after all. 

He waited for the man to calm down from his high, unsure of what else to say or do as he was now unable to do anything else. Throwing himself onto the closest swivel chair, Doctor Kim took off his glasses and sighed. "I'd say that was probably one of the best reactions I've seen so far."

He rolled his chair over to where Donghyuck sat and brought up his hand, it took the boy a few moments to realize that the man was asking for a high five. Slightly dazed Donghyuck complied, in which Seokjin only returned with five times the enthusiasm before pushing himself back to his desk where his computer was, typing away at words the boy was unable to make out.

"You can relax kid." The doctor said. "We're not gonna kill you or probe your brain or whatever kids these days see on tv. What happens today all depends on you."

Still taken aback by the man's brashness, Donghyuck had to take a moment to collect himself before his proper annoyance in the situation could take place. "You could've just said that at the very beginning you know."

"I  _could_ have, hadn't you decided to monologue your attempt to frighten me with that superiority complex of yours." Seokjin said as a matter-of-factly, his right index finger pointing upward before resuming to type. "You can probably imagine my surprise in this scenario."

"Can you blame me??" The boy challenged. "Getting kidnapped and taken to a secret lab in wherever the hell this place is, it's kind of hard to stay calm, don't you think? Especially considering what I  _am?"_

"You mean aside from being an obnoxious teen with a big ego?" Dr. Kim replied. "Jesus, why is it always the pheromone mutants that are the biggest drama queens?" 

Although he didn't have to ask, Donghyuck assumed that by 'pheromone mutant' the man was referring to him. He'd never heard of the term nor what exactly else it was supposed to mean for him, and as much as he wanted to ask, he had other questions that were more than overdue. "You said that whatever happens today is determined by me...what did you mean by that?"

At first Seokjin didn't respond, the sound of his keyboard and the beeping of several other monitors filling the silent gap. "Truthfully I'm not the best at explanations." He admitted, not looking at Donghyuck once. "But I were to say it in the simplest way possible, for your sake and  my own, I'll just leave it as we're trying to recruit you."

 _Recruit._ The word couldn't seem to register correctly in Donghyuck's head, it made him almost want to reevaluate it's definition and context in regards to his position. Recruiting him of all people? He still wasn't sure under what circumstances this implied but he still felt as though it were a huge mistake.

Considering the technological delicacy the lab Donghyuck was in, he was able to concur that this wasn't any dodgy business, this was elite. Way above anything he'd ever known. Surely if these people knew where he lived, how old he was and even his own name, they would also know the possibly more important details. Such as him not doing well with listening to authority. Donghyuck wanted to be straightforward and waste nobody else's time: That he was sorry (not really) but that he had more important things to do, like graduating, and once doing so, to turn over a new leaf and overcome his inner demons, moving into a monastery and living as a monk for the rest of his days. 

A highly unlikely story, but they didn't need to know that.

But even still, an inking feeling still stuck on the back of his mind glue that refused to tear away, and it was beginning to bother him the more he thought about what else was to heard from the man before he'd reject the offer. "What exactly would I be recruited for?"

"Depends." Seokjin said as he slid back and forth on his stool. "Whatever the government deems is too difficult for the likes of them to handle, or maybe just stuff they just don't want to bother doing. Usually it's both." 

"Okay, backup-" The boy put both his hands up in a full stop. "Since when has the Government ever been so accepting of mutants? Because last time I checked, most of society still hates us." 

This much was true. Where Donghyuck was from, mutants were seen somewhat as taboos. Even when briefly mentioned it'd be only to ridicule mutants purpose in society and the past tragedies that resulted from them. And yes, to be frank, the boy was very aware that there were many times in which these individuals caused a lot of harm to public safety as well as profound destruction. If he were to be fair however, Donghyuck felt as if blaming all societal problems on people like him simply based around the fact that mutants even exist was  _heavily_ misleading.

Then again, who was he to talk? He would use his powers to get away with everything almost regularly. Hell, he was practically the poster of child of all things people hated about mutants.

"It's simple." Seokjin spun around to face him. "You have special abilities, and N.E.O wishes to incorporate that in order to do some good in the world." 

Donghyuck tilted his head. "So I'm assuming that this place is some sort of base then? For N.E.O?"

Seokjin nodded. "N.E.O stands for National Enemy Operations. We aim to focus in on any threats against society and eliminate them."

"Such as...?"

"Anything that disrupts the peace and or is deemed of having catastrophic consequences." 

"Okay...so like bad guys and stuff?" Donghyuck cocked his eyebrow. "Do you sincerely believe I'm actually capable of helping you, let alone an entire organization?" 

Seokjin shrugged. "You haven't given me any indication that you aren't qualified." 

If Donghyuck had to be brutally honest, this whole thing did in fact intrigue him. A super secret organization that gathered mutants to essentially save the world? It reminded him faintly of his childhood when his sister would borrow old comic books from the library and snuggle under the blankets with a flashlight in hand, reading about the different superheroes that fought the villains and saved the day.

For a moment he felt himself almost smile at the warm memory, but then quickly disregarded it. Now wasn't the time for reminiscing. This was real life, he wasn't a hero, he was just some trashy kid, and if people were find out who he really was than he'd only be seen as less than he originally was. If they weren't going to care for him, why should he care for them?

Donghyuck was already set on living the way he had already planned: to live for himself and only himself. It was the only thing with no complications, no strings attached. To go on in life following his own rules were the only thing he looked forward to after graduation, it meant goodbye to a contrived system that labeled him as helpless, a melancholy life for those who have no one to care for them. 

Even though he told himself that his decision had already been made, he for some reason wasn't able to say a word. Donghyuck felt a way he hadn't felt in a long time: conflicted. 

The boy wonder if the doctor was a mutant as well, because right after he thought this, the man said, "I'm not here to force you into this. Like I had said before, whatever happens today depends solely on you. If you are to agree, you will become one of our subjects for Project NCT, our Superhuman Initiative. You will be registered as an operative under N.E.O only after some basic training is performed and done with, how long will depend on your skill and improvement. From there you will then join a team in which you will fulfill the missions assigned to you as efficiently as possible."

"And if I refuse?" Donghyuck felt himself ask the question before he could even think it. His voice was barely above a whisper, but this didn't seem to phase Dr. Kim. 

“We'll get Jungwoo back in here to wipe your memory, and then we'll return you home safe and sound. Just say the word and this whole thing will just end up being nothing but a dream."

Was that really it? For some reason the boy found it difficult to believe it were that simple. Perhaps there was something more he was expecting? After everything he had found out that day, he only supposed that there was still a part of him that anticipated more excitement. The fact that they weren't even going to threaten him made it somewhat boring. It took only a moment for Donghyuck to catch himself in the midst of his thoughts. Why did it matter? That only meant he could go back to his regular life, doing what he had always done and would continue doing. It was perfect. He didn't have to be involved in such a mess. Everything could be normal again.

 _Normal._ Donghyuck didn't know why, but the word left a bitter taste in his mouth. Was normal all he was reduced to? A bland existence that was full of colorlessness, where nothing is promised and no satisfaction is ever fulfilled? Pretending to be just like everyone else while fooling them right in front of their very eyes didn't seem as humorous as it once did, his prior form of entertainment was now diminishing.

Was he actually beginning to consider? He couldn't have. It went against everything he stood for: His independence and self-care. Why should he go around and help people who hate him? Donghyuck could prove that he could stand on his own two feet despite his many disadvantages; he vowed he wouldn't depend on anyone else every again.

But maybe, just maybe, he just wasn't looking at it right. The boy thought back to that day at the station and recalled his excitement of being chased, the excitement of a challenge. Donghyuck loved that feeling, hence why the thrill of using his power was all the more enjoyable knowing that there was nobody to beat him.

This experience was enough to have Donghyuck realize that nothing would ever come close to the thrill he had received in the past 24 hours. The idea of risking his life, undergoing difficult tasks and procedures to reach goal after goal while testing his limit...Donghyuck didn't realize how much he wanted it. A familiar burst filled his stomach, stretching out into a trembling warmth that swallowed every nerve in his body, he had to clench the table to tame the adrenaline running through his veins.

A smile crept onto the boy's face. "When do I start?"

The Doctor smiled back. "Right now."

 

 

                                                                  

* * *

 

 

This had to be a joke. Really. Although Donghyuck was paying full attention when Seokjin had told him he needed to  do training before joining the team, he didn't think he ACTUALLY had to do it. "You'll be going through orientation tonight where you'll meeting all the administrators and directors that will be in charge of your training simulations, tests, and missions." By this time Seokjin had went back to focusing his attention to his computer screens. "Most of the NCT members are out on their own individual missions so I doubt you'll be meeting them all today."

Donghyuck nodded. So far there were two members he had met: Jungwoo and Jaehyun. Well, maybe not Jaehyun. They never officially spoke nor had any interactions aside from their short exchange on the tram as well as he and his friends, you know, kidnapped him. The boy assumed he should probably thank him: whether he intended to help Donghyuck or not was still debatable, and there was still a prideful side of him that wanted to flick the guy off the next times he sees him. He'd have to flip a coin and figure it out later. Jungwoo on the other hand seemed kind enough, but he still wasn't sure how to feel about him. His sister always told him to never judge a person by their first impression as the first can always be the most misleading, and it was only today did he realize the weight of her words. 

To Donghyuck's surprise the hallways of N.E.O were as bright as the lab and were narrow, each intersection looking the same as the last. If it weren't for the holographic map Dr. Kim had given him, the boy would've been lost in what seemed to be a maze. He was supposed to meet somebody who would take him on a tour around the base and to his sleeping quarters, however, due to Donghyuck's impatience for others, he went around on his own and hoped the other guy would eventually keep up. It was a bad idea of course, but he wasn't going to admit it, just as he wasn't going to admit that even with the map, he still managed to get himself lost. "Numbering the hallways wouldn't kill them." Donghyuck mumbled. "It's like they want people not know where they are."

"That's actually the whole point."

Without missing a beat Donghyuck spun on his heels with his mouth slightly gaped at the sight of a man standing a few feet away from him. How long had he been there? He stood with a relaxed posture with his hands in his pockets and his back slightly slouched, but even with a slouch his height still proved to be on the tall side, Donghyuck would've guessed maybe six feet? His hair was dark and messy and he wore a black hoodie with a white shirt that had a yellow rim around the collar accompanied with matching joggers.

He certainly had the same look the boy had seen other operatives wear, only this time the man before him had an accessory none of the others had on: a fanny pack. It didn't seem to really fit with the rest of the outfit and in fact made him look less intimidating, but the man didn't seem to care. "When I first came here I was frustrated with it too." He said. "But when you think about it, if an enemy ever sneaks inside, they won't be able to tell where they're going or where certain locations are. It's more of a safety precaution than anything." 

Donghyuck nodded slowly. "Oh." was all he had to say to that. The guy smiled and stretched out his hand to shake the boy's. "You must be our new trainee. I'm Johnny, sorry I took so long to find you." 

"How  _did_ you find me?" Donghyuck wasn't trying to sound mean when he said that, but it felt quite bizarre how in the several hallways that were dead silent and showed no life, the very person he was supposed to be waiting for managed to find where he was. He didn't see any cameras, maybe they implanted a tracking chip in him when he was unconscious...?

"Oh, sorry." Johnny chuckled and tapped his ear with index finger. "I heard your footsteps and just followed the sound." 

Donghyuck frowned. How could he have heard him? Mind you he wasn't really paying attention to how loud his footfalls were, but even so the boy felt as if he'd have to had some kind of abnormal hearing to catch him just like that. Donghyuck could only assume that he was a mutant just like him, and most importantly, his new teammate. Johnny pulled out a small miniature tablet from his back pocket as the screen it up. "We better start the tour now. There's only six hours before your orientation, and you don't want to be late to that. The admins can be pretty prissy." Before he could respond Johnny had already wrapped his hand around Donghyuck's arm, leading him through the pure white maze with impressive strength. "By the way," Johnny spoke. "I didn't catch your name yet."

At the sound of the those words, the boy recalled the last things Seokjin had told him before he were ushered out of the lab. "All information on your outside life is confidential. Nobody knows anything about who you are outside of N.E.O and remains unknown amongst your teammates. Some even go as far as to change their names once they join the organization." He shrugged. "Though, it's only optional." 

At first Donghyuck was quite set on sticking with his own name, but the more he thought about how we was leaving his normal life behind, the more he began to enjoy the idea of creating a new identity, a new face that marked a new phase in his life. Luckily for him, he didn't have to think hard on a new name, after all, it was the very nickname his sister had given years ago. 

"Haechan." he said. "My name's Haechan." 


	3. First Impressions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Haechan meets new people, makes a memorable first impression, and is finally assigned a partner...

 

 

 

Haechan wasn't sure how he didn't notice it before, but Johnny was wearing earplugs. It felt odd for his guide to be wearing something that one would assume would hinder their job of, well, guiding, but Johnny actually managed to do fine, pointing out different training rooms and classrooms as well as the largest cafeteria Haechan had ever seen.

 

The boy felt his stomach growl painfully. He wasn't sure for how long he was unconscious for, but it must've been enough for his body to be in such a crummy state.

 

"Don't worry, we'll make sure you're well fed." Johnny said. "Some of the staff should be sending some food up to your room after our tour. That way you can go to orientation with one less worry."

 

Haechan stared at him, unblinking. Was it that noticeable that he was starving? Surely he couldn't have heard him. If he had, then what would've been the point to wear the earplugs to begin with?

 

"If you hear can hear me then those plugs are pretty useless..." the boy muttered to himself, unaware of the attention he had gotten from the older.

 

"Oh, I can't actually hear you." Johnny said.

 

Haechan frowned. "Then how-"

 

"I'm just reading your lips, that along with your body language." He stated. "Sorry, my ears are really sensitive to any sound at any given frequency. When I'm not actively using them, I prefer to keep them covered." He pointed at his ear pieces. "Although normal earplugs are completely ineffective, these ones are manufactured here at N.E.O. They ensure complete silence."

 

"Ah."  Haechan said. "That's cool, I guess."

 

Haechan was never really someone who engaged in a lot of small talk, so he was unsure of what else to say to the older fellow to keep the mood from souring. Luckily for him, Johnny did most of the talking anyway. "Your pod is the very last one down this hallway. If I'm not mistaken, Taeil, Yuta, and Jaehyun also dorm in this hall. I think you might get along with them."

 

"Right." A yawn left his lips; Haechan didn't know why, but he was suddenly being hit with a wave of fatigue that hugged his whole body. A real nap was what he needed.

 

Upon arriving at the very front of the door, Johnny turned to face the boy. "The door only opens when it scans your fingerprints. Dr. Kim probably entered yours into the system by now, so you should be all good to go until tonight. Any questions?"

 

"I guess not." Haechan mumbled.

 

Johnny nodded, giving the boy a warm smile. "Oh, by the way-"

 

He pulled up his shirt to reveal a black fanny pack that he had hidden underneath, unzipping it before pulling out an orange. "Here." He tossed it to Haechan. "Eat this until dinner comes by later."

 

Haechan stared at the fruit then back to Johnny. "Oh...thanks."  Was all he said.

 

Johnny nodded, pointing finger guns at the younger. "Anytime, kid. Welcome to N.E.O."

 

* * *

  
  


After scanning his hand on the panel by the door like Johnny had told him to, Haechan stepped into the room and fell face first into the soft sheets of his bed, the warm smell of lavender signaling that it had just been washed. His new bedroom was certainly a lot cleaner and well kept compared to where he lived. Back at his home, the floors groaned at every step you'd take and it felt like the house would close in on you the more you moved around. It was especially bothersome in the winter when the cold would slip in from the cracks with ease and chill Haechan to the bone. There was always a leak, always a creaky window or door that wouldn't close right, always some sort of mess that needed fixing.

 

Yet despite all that, Haechan couldn't help but miss his home. Perhaps it was the unfamiliarity of the new environment that was making him feel so out of place, or maybe the weight of the new life he signed up for was finally weighing down on him. He shook his head. It couldn't be the latter. This was what he wanted. This was his choice. Haechan wasn't going to question himself now, it would be only be pointless then.

 

He looked around the room; a tall plant stood in the corner and right next to it was a pearly white desk with a projection screen on it's surface. He set the orange on the desk. There were a few fancy lamps decorated in other corners of the room along with a grey beanbag in another, but it was really the view that caught Haechan's attention.

 

The sun was just beginning to set, the pink glow flowing in from the the window as the warm sun had started to fade away like a glowing ember. Underneath the rosy hue was a dim purple that reminded him of the scent of lavender on his sheets. As the deep blue from above began to stretch out and take over the night that was closing in, the city that seemed to sit beneath him had begun to twinkle, like small stars that blended into the night, adding on to the breathtaking appeal of its image.

 

Haechan's breath was stuck in the back of his throat. There was an emotion that was trying to prick at his eyes and make them burn but he wasn't sure what. Was it the homesickness? The sheer beauty of the outside? He couldn't quite tell. The only thing that was made certain in his mind was that this image of the glowing, opulent city before him, made him feel as though his choice was worth it. Despite all the bitter memories, this was home. There was still a sense of pride that made him want to protect it as much as he could.

 

Of course, he wasn't doing it for anyone else's sake, Haechan was doing it for himself. He was doing it because he knew it was once in a lifetime opportunity, not because he actually wanted to help the very people who hated who he was. The boy snorted. They should be grateful someone as qualified as him would be making sure that their city won't burn down. 

 

A yawn left his lips. He needed to sleep at least a few hours before Orientation, whatever it was that he'd doing there. He doubted it'd be any kind of normal introduction. Haechan pushed himself under the covers and sunk into the mattress, letting his body warm up as his thoughts faded into the back of his mind.

 

                                                              

* * *

 

  
Just like Johnny said, two women in silver N.E.O uniforms came in an hour later and wheeled in his dinner for him. They were quite nice for the most part, smiling and asking if the food was to his liking and whether or not he wanted anything else.

 

Haechan had to stop himself from asking for thirds; he hadn't eaten that much before in his life, and he wasn't quite sure if stuffing himself full before a supposedly big meeting would've been a good idea.

 

Another hour passed before he got a knock on the door letting him know that Orientation would start soon. As he was escorted through the hallways by one of the admins he spotted someone leaning against one of the walls further down.

 

The figure was too small to see who it was, but as Haechan got closer he immediately recognized the face of the man he had seen on the tram. He recognized that smirk. Jaehyun wore leather pants and a black windbreaker with the same neon green X logo on his shoulder.

 

Haechan would have preferred to ignore him and keep moving, but when the admin he was following decided to stop and acknowledge the man, he reluctantly had to stop as well. "Good evening, Operative Jaehyun."

 

He smiled and nodded, but his eyes didn't leave Haechan's face. "I'll escort our new operative down, you can return to your regular schedule. I'm sure you guys have your hands full right now."

 

"Forget it." Haechan snapped. "I'd rather go down myself."

 

But to the boy's dismay, the admin seemed to agree with Jaehyun. "It would probably be best for you two go together. It's important to familiarize yourselves now that you'll be working as a team."

 

He turned to the boy and bowed his head. "Then, I will leave you here."

 

"I don't-" But the admin had already begun walking away, leaving Haechan with the last person he wanted to see. He knew it was pointless to try and ignore Jaehyun now that he agreed to be an operative under N.E.O, but that didn't stop the tinge of distrust he still had towards the older boy. Haechan couldn't quite put his finger on it, but something in that smile of his bothered him.

 

After a moment passed Jaehyun motioned towards the hall, giving Haechan the very smile he had grown to dislike. "Shall we get going?"

 

 

He made sure to stay at least ten steps ahead of Jaehyun when descending further down the labyrinth they called a hallway. Haechan knew it would certainly take some time before he'd learn how to navigate through them more or less find his room, but that was a problem for another time.

 

The pair were quite for a while, neither one saying a word to the other. Curiosity got the best of the boy however, and so it was Haechan who broke the silence. "Were you waiting for me?"

 

He watched Jaehyun from the corner of his eye as he nodded his head. "I was."

 

"Why?"

 

"Because you're part of the team now."

 

Stopping abruptly in his tracks, Haechan turned to glare at Jaehyun. "You must be real proud of that, huh? Kidnapping me like that and bringing me all the way here just for me to agree with your offer?" He scoffed. "Well congratulations, you got me."

 

Jaehyun didn't seem fazed by the boy's tantrum, instead, he smiled and to Haechan's surprise, ruffled his hair affectionately. "You're a cute kid."

 

He blinked, taken aback by the sudden affection as he watched Jaehyun walk ahead of him.

 

What's with this guy? He thought. Why is he so...

 

"I get that you're still mad at me." Jaehyun spoke up. "That's fine. Sorry if me and others gave you a scare that night."

 

Haechan rolled his eyes, following. "Do you guys normally kidnap random mutants you spot on the street?"

 

Jaehyun chuckled. "Nope, I'm confident to say that you're the first."

 

They finally got closer towards a silver panel that the boy assumed is where Orientation was going to be held. They stopped in front of the door and Jaehyun turned to face him. "Everyone is waiting for you in here. Remember, stay calm and breath. They'll try sike you out and get you intimidated, but don't let them. Let them know that you're fully capable."

 

Haechan was quiet. Even when he was listening to Jaehyun words, there was a question in the back of his head that he couldn't quite get rid of. So he says is. "Why me?"

 

The older didn't say anything, so the boy continued. "Was it just luck, or did you track me down for a reason?"

 

His heart was pounding as he clenched his fists, his eyes boring into Jaehyun's. "That day...why did you look at me like that?"

 

Like he knew something.

 

Jaehyun's laidback expression and warm smile, dimmed that moment, his lips slightly parted and his eyes gaining a bit of a spark.

 

Haechan wasn't sure what kind of answer he was expecting, but it certainly wasn't the one he got.

 

"Because you're a lot like me."

 

He was no longer smiling nor had that same friendly aura he carried only minutes ago, this time his face was serious. For a moment, Haechan simply stared back as he tried processing his words. What did he mean by that? The obvious details aside, what exactly did Haechan seem to have in common with Jaehyun, a person who was simply a complete stranger until mere minutes ago.

 

He was about to ask what he meant when the panel suddenly opened, revealing one of the female admins. Her bright blonde hair was tied in a bun and carried a small tablet in hand. As her eyes landed on the two of them, she sighed. "There you too are. The rest of the board is waiting for you."

 

Jaehyun was the first to respond. "I understand." He turned back to the boy. "Most of the team made it back from their missions, so you'll most likely meet them today." He pressed a hand on Haechan's shoulder. "Good luck."

 

Haechan nodded, slightly more puzzled than he was before and lot more interested in what kind of person Jaehyun was, about what kind of person everyone in N.E.O was.

 

He shook his head. That could wait for later, for now, let's focus on this.

 

With a newfound determination and his usual high end energy, he turned to the admin. "I'm ready."

 

* * *

  
  


Haechan certainly didn't have any expectations for what to expect at orientation, but it was safe to say that intimidating was an understatement.

 

It was a rather dark venue with a singular ray of light casting down at the center. The room felt as though it had dropped a couple of degrees as the boy shivered slightly. Despite being told that the other sponsors and head Administrators would be waiting for him, he couldn't seem to find a single soul.

 

Haechan stood next to the admin who walked him through and turned to face her, visible confusion fixed on his features. Having noticed this, she smiled reassuringly. He took notice of her dimples as she did.

"It's alright." She said. She turned his attention back towards the room before pointing towards the second floor that towered over the ground floor, which had a glass window where everyone else waiting could be seen. Majority of them were older men with sagging features and solemn expressions, their eyebrows furrowed and eyes cold. Among them however, aside from the white suited administrators he had seen prior, were the black and neon jacketed figures that stood near one corner of the room.

 

They weren't very close so Haechan couldn't make out what they looked like, but when he squinted he was able to make out only two of them, Johnny and Jungwoo, who stood side by side with their arms behind their backs. The rest were shadowed by the dim backlight, but the boy knew it were the rest of NCT.

 

"The Board will be asking questions and observing you from up there." She said, nudging the boy slightly before giving him a wink. "You think they feel like they're more intimidating the higher up they are?"

 

Haechan scoffed. "Think they're just scared I'll give them whatever mutant disease if I as much as breath the same air as them."

 

To the boy's surprise, the girl chuckled at his remark. "My name's Yerim by the way."

 

Haechan nodded, but he didn't bother to say anything back. He wasn't quite ready to be so friendly with everyone he encountered, much less on his very first few hours at N.E.O. Everyone so far had been so kind to him that it made the teen want to vomit. He wouldn't say he was ungrateful for it, but their attitudes were...not really something he wasn't used to.Even his usual Case Manager that came to visit his home every week eventually stopped giving him pity smiles or heartfelt words of encouragement, a sunken frown always ghosting her features whenever it came to Haechan.

 

"You should go in now." Yerim said, her eyes scanning over some data that appeared on her tablet."Don't be too nervous, Dr. Kim will be there with you."

 

Haechan nodded. "Alright. Well, bye I guess."

 

Looking up, Yerim gave him another wink. "Good luck, Kid!"

 

Moments later Haechan was alone. He took a moment to collect his breath, calming the silent but jittery nerves that crept up his spine.

 

Alright, He thought. Let's do this.

 

 

* * *

  
  


Haechan stood at the very center, not realizing how bright the lights above him were casting down. He could hardly see anyone's face nor where exactly he was supposed to be facing, but that was the least of his problems. The first thing he noticed when he entered were the four different exits on each side of the room, a guard standing close by. The boy wasn't quite sure if it were to protect everyone inside, or if were to protect everyone from him. Either way didn't bother him.

 

He could hear them murmuring from where he was, the sound bouncing off the walls around him but just not enough to make anything out of it. On the other hand, Haechan was finally able to get a closer look at the NCT members that loomed over him. Aside from the other unfamiliar faces he was able to recognize Jaehyun talking to the guy that was with him at the station, the chic looking one with the piercing eyes.

 

The sound of footsteps turns the boy's attention back to where he was standing as he now sees that Dr. Kim is now standing beside, facing the Board with him. The doctor turned him and gave him a faint smile, and with a wink he focused his attention back to the audience.

 

"Subject #0016, please state your alias." A voice over a speaker resonated through the room.

 

"Haechan." The boy said. Now that he thought about it, Haechan wasn't sure what he was really supposed to be doing anyway aside from answering questions. If this whole were just a way to ask him a bunch of pointless trivia, then he'd rather go and fight off one of the guards instead.

 

"Dr. Kim, please give your analysis on the boy."

 

Dr. Kim nodded, pulling out his tablet and opening up a holographic screen that projected data points as well as a picture of Haechan.

 

"Haechan is18 years old, making him the youngest recruit for NCT. He is 174 cm and 64 kilograms, making him smaller than our average operative."

 

Haechan could feel a scowl form on his face when the words left the doctor's mouth, but the doctor didn't seem to notice. From the corner of his eye Haechan could see Jaehyun suppressing a laugh, most likely from catching sight of the boy's expression.

 

 _Whatever_ he thought.

 

"Overall skill type is above average, he won't need much training to fit standards. Agility and flexibility are his strongest suits and rank him on average with the rest of the team."

 

"And his mutant type?" Another voice over the speaker asked, a female one this time.

 

Dr. Kim nodded, seeming to have been getting to that part. "Haechan is a Pheromone Mutant."

 

Murmurs erupted once again as the information settles in the audience. Whatever it was, the Board Members seemed especially intrigued.

 

"So he's just like Seven then?" The woman asked.

 

Dr. Kim shook his head. "Although Haechan and Seven are both categorized in the Pheromone category, they are quite different."

He turns his head to look at the boy. "Unlike Seven, Haechan can bend free will and control the actions of any individual.”

 

The room went silent, eerily silent. Haechan couldn't help the smirk that tainted his lips, a sense of pride in shocking the overly stuck up white collars that looked down at him.

 

The Doctor continues, "He is able to do this when making eye contact with his opponent, upon doing so his opponent is ensnared and is under Haechan's complete control."

 

There was silence once again, though this time it lasted only a moment before the next response. "Would we be able to get a demonstration of this?"

 

Before Dr. Kim could even open his mouth, Haechan was the first to speak up. "I'm not a show pony, so no."

 

Dr. Kim gave the boy a look. "Donghyuck." He whispered. Haechan didn't listen though. Instead, he stepped forward and faced the crowd above him. He could get a better look at their faces now, most were sunken and had cold eyes that bore into his smaller figure in a way that would've been intimidating in any other sense, but not to Haechan.

 

"Listen here and listen clear, I don't intend to repeat myself." His voice sounded clearer when carried out in the room's echo. "The only reason I'm here, and I mean the only reason, is just because I felt like it."

 

When he saw that no one was going to interrupt him, he continued. "I don't care much about what you think of me or whether or not I'm worthy of being here by your standards, but what I will say is that I intend to do exactly what I said I'd do here."

 

He stops, crossing his arms. "And I intend to be doing it my way."

 

"Insolent!" Hissed one of the older men as he slammed a hand down on one of the desks, the sound ringing in the boy's ears.

 

"Let me be clear that you're not the one in charge, boy." His eyes narrowed down at Haechan, and the boy could clearly see the man's round face flush as the veins on the side of his head protruded. "What we do here is not for your personal amusement-"

 

"Of course not." Haechan interrupted. "You wouldn't have had me kidnapped otherwise."

 

Turning on his heels, the boy began pacing the perimeter of the spotlight. "Truth of the matter is that I'm far too important for you to let me go. I can guess by how you all reacted to Dr. Kim data analysis on me that I'm clearly ideal for your program. So if you wish for me to stay,"

 

Haechan stared right into the eyes of the round faced man, mirth dancing in his own. "I have my own set of rules that I'd like you all to be following."

 

The whispers grew into a full on uproar of objections as soon as the statement left his mouth, and the man from before stood up within seconds. "I don't know who the bloody hell you think you are-"

 

Haechan's eyes flashed. " _Sit_."

 

Instantaneously the man dropped into his chair, the rest of his body stiffened while his eyes widened in fear. The boy rolled his eyes. "I wasn't done talking, you know."

 

The commotion in the room only increased upon this moment, another man with his a gray beard and slick, greased back hair stood up with a hard expression.

 

"Dr. Kim, you'd have to be mad to allow this child into N.E.O." He glared down at the boy. "He's very obviously unfit to work in an high class government organization, much less a team that requires him to submit to protocol."

 

"Do you understand the kind of destruction a mutant such as him can cause for us??" A woman with short black hair and a pair of thick lensed glasses said with a scowl. "He's a parasite at most."

 

Before Haechan could even utter the words that she certainly wasn't some meadow of flowers either, he could hear the Doctor heave a long and dragged out sigh. From the corner of his eye he could see him squeeze the bridge between his eyes with Ms. Kim now by his side. He whispered something to her, the boy unable to make out the words before she gave a nod and headed off towards the exit, leaving the doctor and him to deal with the crowd.

 

Dr. Kim looked at them. "Haechan is a strong asset for this program. He's haughty and sly, but he's young. With our resources we can train him and within the next few years, he could possibly be one of the most valuable operatives we have with his abilities and strengths. All we need is to put it into motion."

 

The woman scoffed. "You say that as if he's the only one we'll ever encounter with similar attributes."

 

Dr. Kim pushed his glasses up, his eyes glancing back down to his tablet. "Currently mutants make up about 2.5% of earth's population with .0001% residing in South Korea. Pheromone mutants such as Haechan make up only about .000001% of that small group in the whole world." He makes eye contact with the woman. "He may very well be the only one we may ever come across, even more so with his exact abilities."

 

She didn't say anything else, but judging by her expression and silence, it was clear the lady didn't like his answer.

 

"You can't expect us to agree with this." The bearded man said. "He's a threat to his team. What will happen if one day he decides to take control of his assigned partner when there's no one else around to stop him from doing anything? He shows no ways of being controllable."

 

"That wouldn't be an issue if I just didn't have a partner." The boy grumbled under his breath, but unconsciously but his tongue once Doctor Kim spared him a short glance. Not now was what it said.

 

"Your concerns have been noted." He said, the muttering of the crowd coming down to listen to what Kim had to say.

 

"However, I can propose a solution to this." The doctor turned to face Haechan, his hands placed behind his back. "Anything involving the boy will be my responsibility, including any consequence. With all your valid objections in mind, I have finally decided on the partner who would best suit and monitor him during trainings and missions."

 

Before even Haechan could object to the absurd idea of being babysat, the clicking of heels brought his attention back to Ms. Kim's returning figure, only this time, she wasn't alone.

 

"Kim Seokjin." The round faced man spoke, his voice echoing in the room as he furrowed his brows. "You don't possibly mean to..."

 

"I do." He said, turning to face the approaching boy just as he got close enough to Haechan. The boy's face was stoic and his eyes were blank, an uneasy feeling filling Haechan's chest.

 

"Haechan, meet your official partner, M-4712, but you can call him Mark."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took forever to upload, but it’s here! Let me know what you think!
> 
> Also, check out my multiship!haechan fic Sundrop if you’re interested in fantasy/drama!
> 
> https://archiveofourown.org/works/22904041/chapters/54745363


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